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Under the infusion of Sage Chakra, the lightning in Sasuke’s hand emitted a sharp screech, and the blade of lightning began to vibrate violently.
"Itachi!"
Sasuke’s feet left deep imprints on the ground as he leaped into the air once more, rapidly closing in on Itachi, who stood on higher ground, with his blade of lightning swinging fiercely.
Itachi dodged to the side, and the blade in Sasuke’s hand sliced through the crumbling wall where Itachi had been standing.
Kicking off a falling piece of rubble, Sasuke once again launched himself in Itachi’s direction.
No weapon could withstand the blade of lightning in Sasuke’s hand, leaving Itachi with no choice but to dodge desperately.
However, in Sage Mode, Sasuke seemed to be reborn, with both his strength and speed enhanced significantly. Itachi found it increasingly difficult to shake him off.
The two darted through one abandoned building after another, with Sasuke’s blade shattering the ruins as he pursued Itachi relentlessly.
’No one can defend forever.’
Finally, when Itachi retreated to a narrow corner, Sasuke had blocked all his escape routes.
Sizzle!
The blade pierced through Itachi’s abdomen, penetrating his body and the wall behind him.
Lightning flickered as Itachi’s body went limp, losing all strength to resist.
"I won’t kill you, Itachi!" Sasuke stared into Itachi’s eyes. "I want you to live in eternal regret!"
"Sasuke..."
Blood trickled from the corner of Itachi’s mouth as he raised a trembling hand, reaching towards Sasuke’s eyes.
Sasuke’s expression suddenly darkened.
"You bastard! Stop playing these tricks!!"
The lightning in Sasuke’s hand surged, and Itachi’s body stiffened, as a crow crawled out of his mouth.
"This level of illusion!"
Sasuke slashed, cutting Itachi’s body in half, only to watch it dissolve into a flock of illusory crows.
He turned around, raising his blade toward Itachi, who stood under a withered tree behind him.
"Stop joking around already!"
Another Sasuke appeared behind Itachi, piercing his abdomen with a blade once more.
Itachi looked down at the blade emerging from his abdomen and then raised his head with a faint smile. "So, you still don’t intend to kill me, Sasuke?"
The Sasuke in front of him said nothing and dissolved into a flock of crows as well.
"But..." Itachi turned his head to the Sasuke crouching behind him. "I must have your eyes!"
With an eerie smile, Itachi’s body suddenly began to swell.
Boom!
Itachi’s body exploded violently in a fiery blaze.
"A clone explosion?"
The charred and smoking Sasuke smirked, then vanished in a puff of white smoke.
---
In the Distant Forests.
"What an incredible battle," White Zetsu said. "Who will win in the end?"
Black Zetsu replied, "Uchiha Kaito has yet to appear."
"Does that mean Sasuke has a better chance of winning?" White Zetsu asked. "Should we provide Itachi with assistance?"
"Let’s wait and see," Black Zetsu said. "For some reason, I have an ominous feeling."
"Obito," he suddenly commanded, "if Uchiha Kaito appears, you’ll be responsible for bringing Nagato over."
The sinister single eye of "Obito" turned toward them. "We’ll decide once Uchiha Kaito shows up."
With that, he turned his gaze back toward the village.
Unbeknownst to Black Zetsu, Kaito was observing everything through "Obito’s" eye.
---
Back in the Village.
Sasuke and Itachi stood on opposite ends of the rooftop of the village’s tallest building.
The ruined village was now ablaze, with flames engulfing the remains of houses that occasionally collapsed with a deafening roar.
Itachi’s body seemed unsteady, and he was breathing heavily.
Although Sasuke was drenched in sweat, he remained relatively composed.
"Heh!" Sasuke let out a mocking laugh. "Itachi! Has your body deteriorated to this extent?"
"I didn’t expect... you to reach such a level, Sasuke!"
Itachi swayed but steadied himself, raising his eyes to meet Sasuke’s still-vigorous gaze, a faint smile on his lips.
As their eyes locked, Itachi’s Sharingan transformed, the three tomoe merging into the shape of a spinning windmill.
"Tsukuyomi!"
Under the crimson sky, a black sea stretched endlessly. Sasuke stood with his arms spread wide, bound firmly to a wooden cross.
"What is this?" Sasuke twisted his neck to look around. "So this is the famed Tsukuyomi?"
"Indeed." Itachi’s figure appeared before him. "You shouldn’t have come after me, Sasuke."
"Don’t joke with me!!" Sasuke’s eyes also shifted, transforming into the Mangekyo Sharingan. "I won’t let you off that easily, you bastard!!!"
Itachi grabbed Sasuke’s collar and leaned in close. "If Uchiha Kaito has told you anything, you should understand my situation! Do you think I’m your only enemy?"
"I know." Sasuke locked eyes with him at close range. "Neji has already seen it. Including you, there are four of them! And the guy on the mountain with the Sharingan—he’s Obito, isn’t he?"
"You’d better bring Kaito to help you as soon as possible," Itachi said sternly. "That guy, Obito, is a very dangerous lunatic!"
"Hahahaha..." Sasuke suddenly burst out laughing, his whole body shaking with amusement.
"What’s so funny?" Itachi tightened his grip on Sasuke’s collar.
"There’s something even you don’t know!" Sasuke’s face twisted with malice. "It seems our uncle has already excluded you!"
"Excluded me?" Itachi released Sasuke’s collar weakly, taking a step back. "What has he done now?"
"Of course—saving the world!" Sasuke’s joy seemed unparalleled.
So satisfying!
This guy loves acting on his own, doesn’t he?
Let’s see how he likes it!
"I won’t tell you!" Sasuke said, his malice seeping out. "Our plan doesn’t need you. That’s because you’re too weak!"
"Sasuke..." Itachi smiled bitterly. "And after saving the world?"
"What do you mean, after?" Sasuke looked at him curiously.
"Even if I believe in Kaito’s so-called plan, what happens afterward? Unlike him, you’re a ninja. You’ll need a proper environment and companions who are also ninja!"
"Heh!" Sasuke sneered with a peculiar expression. "Don’t tell me you want me to go back to Konoha?"
"You’re a ninja!" Itachi said firmly. "Your paths are different. You can’t always follow Kaito, an Onmyoji!"
"Don’t you know?" Sasuke smirked. "The last time I went to Konoha, I took Neji of the Hyuga Clan with me when I defected."
"I know!" Itachi remained unmoved. "But that’s not the issue! My contributions are enough to protect you and the Uchiha name."
"Heh, if you’re so eager to return to Konoha..."
Sasuke suddenly broke free from the cross and punched Itachi in the face.
"Then go back yourself!!!"
Another punch.
"I’ve already prepared a place for you!"
And another.
"Right in the Uchiha Clan’s graveyard!!!"